Book-holder



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.,

M. B. BLOOD. BOOK HOLDER.

No. 573,072. Patented Deo. 15, 1896..

Witnesses: Inventor.

(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2.

BLOOD: BOOK HOLDER.

Patented 1160; 15, 1896.

Witnesses:

Inventor.

"HEM.

TNE "cams puns c0. Pnmou'mo" wasmum'ou. 0, cv

(No Model.) 3 sneaky-sheet s.

M. E. BLOOD.

BOOK HOLDERJ 0.57s,0'72. Y PatentedDec.15,1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEtcE.

MAURICE E. BLOOD, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

BOOK-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forrning part of Letters Patent No. 573,072, datedpecember1 5, 1896. Application filed March 7, 1894 Serial No. 502,772. (Nomodel.)

To all, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MAURICE E. BLOOD, residing at Kalamazoo, in thecounty of Kalamazoo, State of Michigan, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Book-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of this invention are to provide a device that will beself-adj usting to books of varying thickness and will press the leavesof the book together when closed to preserve the form of the book andprevent dust and dirt from getting in between the leaves and to make aholder that will hold either one or two books at once and in such amanner that they will come in the most desirable positions for use. Iattain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the holder asused for two books, one of the heads holding a closed book and the otherhead open and without abook. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail, being a sideview of one of the heads in a position to hold a book closed. The dottedlines show the head tilted backward and nearly level. Fig. 3 is an endelevation of Fig. 2, the dotted lines showing one of the wings that holdthe book in the position it occupies when the book is open. Fig. 4. isan enlarged detail, being a sectional elevation on line 4 4 of Fig. 3,showing the parts where the wings hinge to open and close, thepivotpoint on which the book is tilted, a section of the spring and itsbearing, and the pivotal bearing for the whole head. Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail, being a top view of the base or the bell and a sectionof the upper ends of the legs where they go into the bell. Fig. 6 is anenlarged detail, being a sectional elevation of Figs. 5 and 7 on lines 66. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail, being a sectional View of Fig. 6 online 7 7. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail, be-

ing a side elevation of the bell and shelf or bracket and thumb screwfor holding the standard at the proper height; and Fig. 9 is an enlargeddetail showing the center section of the casting for holding the headsand manner of attaching this casting to the tubular standard. 7

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The legs A have a bell-shape form when all together, and their upperends are curved and shaped to conform to the interior surface of thebell A and pass upward through suitable vholes in the upper face of thebell and have hooks 'u on their upper ends to hook over the top of thebell, the legs being first inserted in the bell when hanging down nearlyperpendicular with the bell. After the legs are all put in in thisfashion the wedge N is" placed in center of the bell between them anddriven into the bell, forcing the legs out against the bell until allare tight, the hooks *0 on the upper ends of the legs preventing thelegs from withdrawing from the bell and the irregular or corrugated formof the wedge N allowing the wedge to contract on the opposing legs thatare closest together until the wedge meets and wedges securely the othertwo opposing legs.

The wedge N is made of corrugated elastic metal, as will be seen on anexamination of Fig. 7, and the metal can be made to this form by eitherbeing cast or forged, casting or dropforging both being very economicaland efficient methods of forming the wedge.

B is a shelf or bracket for holding books, and also assists in holdingthe standard 0 in place. This shelf or bracket has a hole at its centerto receive. the standard 0 and has an annular flange 1) on its underside larger than the hole and adapted to rest on and cover the top ofthe bell and upper ends of the legs Where they come through the bell.This annular flange b is made thicker on one side at b and has a holein'the thickened part threaded to receive the thumb-screw n. Thisthickened part and thumb-screw are made to come opposite and outside oftheear n, which is go cast on one side of the upper face of the bell A.The upper face of the bell A has a hole through it to receive thestandard C, and the lower part of the wedge N also has a hole in it forthe same purpose. Therefore the stand ard 0 passes successively throughholes in the shelf B, bell A, and wedge N, and it will be seen that byscrewing the thumb-screwn up against the car a the bell will be forcedaway from the thulnb'screw against the standard C and the shelf B willbe drawn toward the thumb-screw and pulling the standard 0 on theopposite side against the bell, while the wedge N will steady thestandard and hold it in a vertical position, the whole operatingtogether to bind or clamp the standard and secure it from moving up ordown, and in this manner the standard can be set at varying heights bysimply placing it where desired and screwing up the thumb-screw, andthere will not be the same liability to mar or dent the surface of thestandard 0 that there would be were the thumb-screw to come in directcontact with the standard.

I) is a casting pivotally mounted on the upper end of the standard C, asshown in detail in Fig. 9. The pin M, which is cast on the casting, ismade to enter the hole in the upper end of the standard C, (whichstandard is preferably made tubulaiy) and the weight of the casting Drests on the enlarged part above the pin M. The lower part of thecasting has a boss or enlarged part cl, and this boss has a verticalhole through its center through which the standard 0 passes, therebymaking two bearings for the casting on the standard to support thecasting in a proper manner. The casting D has two opposingarinsextending out horizontally from the standard C and turning upVertically at their extreme ends, forming the sockets D, in which theheads of the book-holders are pivoted and supported. These headshave aY-shaped casting I, which is provided at its lower part with the pin 1,made to correspond in shape and size to the pin M 011 the casting D, sothat it can go either in the socket D or the hole in the upper end ofthe standard 0. It is used in the latter place instead of the casting Dwhen it is desired to set the device up as a single instead of a doubleholder.

H is a yoke, preferably a casting made in its central part to conformnearly in shape to the forked part of the casting I and having a bearingon the pin '1, at the upper ends of the Yshaped casting I, on which itcan oscillate or rock to tilt the book at different angles, and thesetwo castings I and II are held stationary relative to each other bymeans of the thumb-screw 11;, which works in a trans verse slot '10 inthe casting I and screws into the casting II to bind the two together.The pins t t are made to project horizontally and inwardly toward eachother from the upper ends of the casting I and to tit in the inner endof the vertical slots 15 in the yoke or casting II. In this manner whenthe thumbscrew 11' is out the yoke II can be withdrawn from the castingI, but when the thumbscrew is in and screwed up tight the yoke II willbe held securely to the casting I. The yoke II extends upwardly andoutwardly from the pins 15 and have a hinge connection at their outerends with the arms F F. This hinge connection might be made withsuitable ears on both the ends of the yoke and the ends of the arms Fand a rivet or bolt through the ears; but in this case, to make thehinge in a cheaper manner and more easily detachable, the arms F areprovided with "solid pins or projections t" t" on each side which Workin the lower part of the slot or opening between the hook f and face fon the ends of the yoke 11, and these pins t" are held and kept at thebottom or inner end of said slot or opening by means of the stop 0',which is formed 011 the arm F to extend around the guide 1- found on theyoke II opposite the opening between the hook f and face f. The outerface of this guide 7' is made to describe a part of a circle, the centerof which would be the pins 2' t", whereby it will be seen thatthe pinsor bearings t" 2" will be held in their proper place at the bottom oftheir respective bearings or slots in the yoke II when the stop a" isover the guide 1"; but when the stop 1 has passed upward beyond the endof the guide 1" the pins or bearings 2" will be free to be withdrawnfrom their bearings in the I yoke II. When the wings G are opened outhorizontally, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, they will be preventedfrom further downward movement at the proper time by means of the stop0" coming in contact with the side of the yoke II.

The outer or free ends of the arms F F are provided with pins it, whichare similar to the pins 2" 2 and these pins '1 2' go into a half box orrecess formed on the under side of the cleat F. The cleat F is screwedor otherwise fastened to the back side of the wingboard G, and thus ajointed or hinged connection is formed between the arm F and the wingboard G, and this connection being made near the upper side or edge ofthe wingboard G will allow the lower side or edge of the said wing-boardfree to swing independently of the arm F.

The wing-board G can be made of a suitable size to embrace or cover thecovers of the books it is to hold and need not be different in thisrespect from others made for this purpose before. The lower edges of thewingboards G G are connected by means of the support or rest E, which isconnected 011 each edge to one of the wings by means of the links a.These links a can be made out of sheet metal turned over at each end,and each end thus turned over hooked into the eye a on the wing G andthe edge of the support or rest The links a and support E should be ofthe proper length and proportions to cause them to be drawn taut andnearly on a continuous level with the wing-boards when the wing-boardsare opened out fiatwise. By

forming all these hinge connections in this manner the wing-boards willbe free to move to or from each other vertically and parallel with eachother to a suflicien-t extent to adapt themselves to books of nearly anythickness usually used in these holders. XVhe-n the wing-boards and bookare closed, the book will rest at the bottom-on the support E, and thetendency will be for the weight of the IOC IIO

book, to draw the win g-boards closer together against the sides of thebook, as this down- Ward strain or tension on the w ing-boards comesinside of the pivot or hinged points at the outer ends of the yoke H,and to hold the wing-boards G G still more rigid and cause them to pressagainst the sides of the book with still greater force the rods K K arebent at their upper ends to hook into bearings near the lower ends ofthe cleats F F and their lower ends hook into the ears 3 s of the yoke mon opposite sides of the post a. The yoke m has a vertical holethroughit and slides up and down on the post a. The post it extends downwardfrom the yoke H and has a coil-spring coiled around it between the yokeII and the yoke m. This coil-spring bears against the yoke H at one endand pushes the yoke m downwardly at the other end, thus causing the rodsK K and wingboards G G to be pulled downwardly and the wing-boards G Gto be drawn toward each other when in a vertical position, as beforeexplained.

hen the wing-boards are opened out toward a horizontal or flat position,and after the rods K K shall have passed outwardly, so that the line oftheir draft on the win g-boards shall be outside of the pivotal orhinged bearings at the ends of the yoke II, the coil-spring L will thenact to draw the wing-boards away from each other and cause them toremain open when they are extended horizontally. This will also be thecase whether the book is opened out flat or closed vertically andresting on the support E, as the support E, when pressed downward inthis position, draws on the links (L in a line so nearly direct with thepivotal or hinged bearings at the ends of the yoke II that there willnot be sufficient leverage at that point to enable the weight of thebook to overcome the tension of the spring L, drawing the wing-boardsdown in an opposite direction.

When the device is used as a double holder, the heads may be turned, asshown in Fig. 1, both facing one way, so that a person can remain inoneposition and read in both books without revolving the casting D, or theheads can be turned on their pivots, the pins 1, so that they will faceopposite each other, and then the casting D can be revolved to bringeither book to the person reading. The heads can be held from revolvingon the pins 1 by means of the thumb-screws D, which screw into thesockets D and against the pins I, and the casting D may be preventedfrom revolving by means of the thumb-screw d in the same manner screwingagainst the standard 0.

As the yoke H pivots on the pins 15 to oscillate or rock back and forththe head can be tilted by rocking the yoke H to set the book atdifferent inclines or 011 a level, and the metal which forms the sidesof the slot to being curved on its upper and lower faces to describe acircle, the center of which would be the pins 15, allows the thumb-screww to play in the slot w. Then when the head is tilted to the properposition 'it can be held there by tightening up the thumb-screw w.

I desire to say that my improved bookholder is capable of considerablemodification without departing from my invention. As I called attentionabove the weight of the book itself assists in my improved bookholder tohold the book closed or open automatically in whichever position thebook is placed, and this is so eifective that the spring L with itsconnections K K to the wingboards might be dispensed with entirely andproduce a very effective book-holder, but the spring and its connectionto the wing-boards puts tension upon the wholedevice and makes it actmuch stronger than it otherwise would, and holds all of the pivotalconnections taut at all times. The spring and its connections to theremaining device makes a great improvement upon it, but the device wouldbe entirely operative without said spring and its connections. It isneedless to say that the upper part of my improved book-holder could beused on almost any variety of stand having a standard, though myimproved stand and standard have great advantages in construction overany other that I have ever seen.

I am aware that book-holders have been made before to have thewing-boards connected together with straps which support the book whenclosed in a vertical position, and that the wing-boards are made to moveto and from each other to be self-adjusting to a certain extent to thebook, but so far as I know these devices have proven to be failures, asthey would not control the movement of the wing-boards to cause them tohold a book in a firm or desirable manner.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a book-holder, the legs, A, A; the bell, A,to engage the upperends of said legs on its interior surface; a corrugated, elastic metalwedge, N, driven between the legs inside the bell to hold the samesecurely by the elastic force of the wedge for wedging the legs apartagainst the bell, substantially as shown.

2. In a book-holder, the combination of the bell, A; legs, A, A, theupper ends of which are engaged by the said bell A, on its inside;corrugated elastic metal wedge, N, between said legs to clamp themagainst the interior of the bell; standard, 0, centrally located throughsaid bell; a flange or cap, 13, over the bell and around the standard;and a thumb-screw for forcing the flange or cap in terior of the bell;standard, (J; a shelf or bracket, B, and thumb-screw, N, for moving thebracket and bell in the opposite direction to clamp the standard,coacting together as specified.

4:. In a book-holder, the Y-shaped casting, I; the yoke, H, hung at eachside to the outer and upper ends of the casting, I, the yoke, H, havingpivoted at its outer ends the arms, F, F, and the arms, F, F, having thewing-boards, G, G, pivoted from their free ends and the wings, G, G,connected together from their lower edges by the support, E; and links,a, a, all adapted to operate together substantially as specified.

5. In a book-l1older, a yoke, H, mounted on the upper ends of a forkedor Y-shaped casting and adapted to oscillate transversely through theforked part of the Y-shaped castin g; a transverse slot in the forkedpart and thumb-screw in the yoke working in the slot to hold the yoke inthe proper position relative to the Y-shaped casting, in combinationwith arms pivoted at each end of the yoke and wing-boards pivoted ateach free end of the arms; links depending from the wing boards; and asupport for the book hinged at either side to the free ends of thelinks, all operating together substantially as and for the purposespecified.

6. In a book-holder, a yoke having a hollowed-out portion in the center,its extreme ends extending upward and outward and having arms pivoted onits extreme ends, the free ends of said arms having wing-boards pivotedto them; links depending from the wingboards, the free ends of saidlinks on one wingboard being connected to the free ends of the links onthe opposite wing-board by means of a support, E, all adapted to operatetogether to hold the book sul')stantially as shown.

7. In a book-holder, ayoke or frame having arms, F, F, pivoted at itsouter ends; wingboards, G, G, pivoted to the arms, F, F, aseries ofmetallic links with a support, E, connecting the win g-boards together;and means, such as the spring L, having suitable connections with thewing-boards for pulling the win g'boards toward each other when thewingboards are standing vertically or pulling them in oppositedirections when they are extended toward a horizontal position,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. In abook-holder, the wing-boards, G, G, hinged to arms, F, F, thearms, F, F, hinged to ayoke, H; a spring operating on rods or links, K,K, connected to the wing-boards in such a manner as to pull thewing-boards toward each other when they are nearly closed or to pullthem apart when they are extended out from each other, the wholeoperating together in such a manner that the wing-boards will be self-adjusting to books of varying thickness and exert a constant pressureon either a thick or thin book when the book is closed, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

9. In a booleholder, the combination of the yoke, H; arms, F, F, pivotedto the upper end of the said yoke to each side; wing-boards, G, G,pivotally connected to the upper end of said arms, F; asupport, E, belowand between said wing-boards; links, a, a, connecting the support, E,thereto; and rods, K, pivotally connected to the lower portion of saidwingboards; a spring, L, below said yoke, H, to put tension upon therods, K, K, all coacting together substantially as specified.

10. In a book-holder, the combination of the yoke, II; arms, F, F,pivoted to the outer ends thereof; wing-boards, G, G, suitably supportedand pivotally connected to the upper ends of the arms, F, F; rods, K, K,connected to said wing-boards; a post, it, projecting downwardly frombetween said wing boards; spring, L, on said post, a; a yoke, m, overthe spring, L, connected to the rods, K, all coacting as specified.

1 1. In a book-hold er, the combination of the yoke, H, with guides, r,at each end thereof, with hooks, f, f, to each side thereof; arms, F,with pins, t", z", therein to rest in the hook, f, f, with the stop, 1",between the same for passing over and against the guide, 4", to preventthe pivot-pins i, d, from becoming displaced, as specified.

12. In a book-holder, the combination of the casting, I, with theopposite ends thereof proj ecting upwardly and bearing inwardly-pointingpins integral therewith; a yoke, H, having openings to each side, withslots below leading to said openings to receive the inwardly-projectingpins which are passed up to the said openings through the slots to forma bearing for the yoke to operate upon to per mit of adjusting the yokeso that it will hold the book at any convenient angle, as desired.

13. In a book-holder, the combination of two wing-boards one for eachside of the book a support connected by link connections to the loweredges of said wing-boards; a yoke, H, below the lower edge of saidwing-boards expanding well out to either side; arms, F, pivoted to saidwing-boards near their upper or outer edge and pivoted to each side ofsaid yoke; a spring, L, below said yoke connecting by suitable rodspivotally to the lower part of each wing-board at the outside, connectedso that the action of the spring when the book is closed shall be withinthe pivotal connection of the lower ends of said arms and when the bookis open shall be outside of the pivotal connection of said arms with theyoke to hold the book adjustably closed or lock it open, for the purposespecified.

l-l. In a book-holder, the combination of two wing-boards one for eachside of the book a support connected by link connections to the loweredges of said wing-boards; a yoke, H, below the lower edge of saidwing-boards expanding well out to either side; suitable means of tiltingsaid yoke to adjust the angle of the book arms, F, pivoted to saidwingboards near their upper or outer edge and ICC IIO

pivoted to each side of said yoke; a spring, L, below said yokeconnecting, by suitable rods, pivotally to the lower part of eachwingboard at the outside, connected so that the action of the spring,when the book is closed, shall be within the pivotal connection of thelower ends of said arms, and when the book is open, shall be outside ofthe pivotal connection of said arms with the yoke to hold the bookadjustably closed or look it open, for the purpose specified.

15. In a book-holder, the combination of wing-boards for each side ofthe book 0011- nected by flexible connections to form a support belowfor the back of the book; a suitable yoke below the wing-boardsextending to each side of the book; arms pivotally connected to theouter ends of said yoke and also pivotally connected near the upper orouter edges of said wing-boards so that the weight of the book will tendto press the wing-boards against the sides thereof when the book isclosed and the weight of the book will be thrown well out beyond thepivotal connection of said arms and yoke when the book is open, so thatthe book will remain automatically either in the open or closed positionas desired,for the purpose specified.

16. I11 a book-holder, the combination of the wing-boards for each sideof the book connected by flexible connections to form a support belowfor the back of the book; a yoke, I-I, below the lower edge of saidwing-boards expanded well out; arms, F, pivoted to said wing-boards nearthe upper or outer edge and pivoted to each side of said yoke; a spring,L, below said yoke connecting, by suitable rods, pivotally to the lowerpart of said wingboards at the outside, connected so that the action ofthe spring, when the book is closed, shall be within the pivotalconnection of the lower ends of said arms and, when the book is open,shall be outside of the pivotal connection of said'arins with the yoketo hold the book adjustably closed or look it open, for the purposespecified.

17. In a book-holder, the combination of the wing-boards for each sideof the book connected by flexible connections to form a support belowfor the back of the book; a suitable yoke below the holder extending toeach side of the book; suitable means of tilting said yoke to place thebook at a convenient angle; arms pivoted to the outer ends of said yokeand upper or outer edges of said wingboards so that the weight of thebook will tend to press the wing-boards against the sides thereof, whenthe book is closed, and the weight of the book will be thrown welloutside the pivotal connection of said arms and yoke when the book isopen, so that the book will remain automatically either in the open orclosed position, as desired.

MAURICE E. BLOOD. lVitnesses:

ORPHA WAsHBURN, CLARENCE O, BLooD.

